Ironing machine



E. M. RICHARDS IRONING IACHINE Filed Oct.; 14, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR f'f/ /P/'Cqdg ATTORNEY WITNESSES: .f/

Aug. 28,1928.

E. M. RICHARDS IRoNING uAcHINE 6 Sheetshsheet 5 Filed 001'.. 14, 1924 l llas WITNESSES:

M/ ATTORNEY Aug. 2s, 192s. 1,682,419

E. M; RICHARDS IRONING MACHINE med oct. 14, 1924 s sheets-snaai 4 ff/g4.

wlTNEsrsEs: v `INVENT'OR 1- ATT'ORNEY Agg. 2s, 192s.

E. M. RICHARDS A:[RHING' CHINE Filed oct. 14;' 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES:

E. M. RICHARDS IRONING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Aug. 28, 192.8.

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, STATES] Partien* OFFICE.

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invention relates to ironing machines M andlias special relationto domestic ironing Ationed on one castin machines. Itisclosely relatedl to the* ironiing machines constituting the subject matv lter of my No. 501,881-fled Sept. 20,1921, and Serial lso-pending applications, Serial No. 670,512 filed Oct. 24, 1923. Y One object of-'myinvention is to provide an ironin machine in which a roll is moved towardv a me by a toggle device.

`Another. obect of my invention is to provide a clutc less ironing machine of an especially simple construction.

Av further object of my inventionl is 'to providea toggle-device that 4is motor-operated for mo'vin ,one of al pair of ironing members towa s the other and which is operable otherwise than by a motor for moving 4the former member away from the latter.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an ironing machine in which many of, the operating members are posi; whereby assembling and shipping are faci 'tated. f

` A still 'further object of my invention is to provide an ironing machine made up of 1a minimum number of parts.

Other-objects and advantages will appear as the descri tion proceeds.

Reference is now had to the accoiripany-` ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational View of an ironing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, as

viewed from the right, of the machine shown in Fig. 1, the partsbeing illustrated with the ironing members disengaged.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevational view similar` to Fig. 2, of the upper portion of the machine showing the ironin elements engaged, arts of a standard being broken away to s ow inner construction.

' `Fig. 4 is an enlarged front elevational view c e. e Fig. 5 is a' lan .view ofthe right-hand end Figs. 7 and'8 are detail sectional views of the 'upper-righthand end of the ma` efe deviee fer ie-ekin the drive te end also unlocking it from t e roll. i The machine illustrated asembodying my invention comprises a shoe 1, a feed-board 2, standards 3 and 4-supportmg the shoe 1 and the feed-board v2, a roll 5 acasting 6', (Fig. 3) pivoted on the standard 4 and a motor 7 carried by the castin 6.

The rolc (Fig. is provi ed at one end with adi 8, and at the other with a disc 10 each adapted to rotate u n a-shaft 11 which projectsfrom the rollmat both ends.

' vThe disc 10 is integral with a sleeve 12 (Figs 7 and 8) upon which a spur gear 13 is mounted for rotation. The spur gear 13 supports aJ device for\ communicating a drive tothe sleeve 12. This device is similar to mechanism shown in my ap lication filed October 24, 1923, Serial No. 6 0,512, and is releasable b the operator in a manner hereinafter escribed. It comprises a detent 14 urged downwardly by a s ring 15 against an annular ratchet 16 and having a slot 17 receivin a plun r 18 provided with a shoulder 20 t ereon in a recess 21. The plunger .is urged in a Adirection toward the recess 21 by-a spring-22.. This device, which ser-ves as a clutch, is sup- `hereinafter described from aposition awa from the shoe 1 to the positiony wherein 1t contacts with the shoe 1, or with articles to be ironed which are interposed between the apted to be received he bracket 23 has roll 5 and the shoe 1. In the latter position, y

the rotation of the spur gear 13, in a manner to be hereinafter described, causes the plun er n18 to travel in a circle concentric wit and of the saine curvature as, the arcuatecams 24 and 25.

The shaft 11 is movable in a slot .26 in the standard 4 in a direction away from the shoe 1. The casting 6, which fits closely about the -shaft 11I and rmits rotative movement thereof, is secure to the standard 4 by a pivot pin 27. The'slot 26 is of such shapte as to permit the movement of the sha 11 away from the shoe 1 and its travel about the pivot in 27.

As shown in ig. 3, the shaft 11 is provided with an opening in which a bolt-28 is s lidable, the movement thereof being limited by a head 30. The boltI is screwed into an arm31. A nut 32 is threaded on lthe arm and engages an end of a spring 33, the other end of-which is in engagement with a member 34 pinned to the shaft 11 and removable therefrom. The arm 31 is secured by a pivot pin 35 to a second arm 36 that is rigid with a spindle 37 journaled in the standard 4. The arms 31 and 36 constitute a toggle. The left extremity of the shaft 11 is secured to a toggle 38 that is pivotedon a bracket -39 and limited in downward movement by a stop 40. At this end, the shaft 11 is slidable in a slot 41 in the bracket. 'i

A lever 42 is secured on the spindle 37, and is adapted to engage, at its end, with a cap '43 into which the upper end of a secs tion of a rod 44 is screwed. The ca 43 may be rotated'and thus moved longitu inally of the rod for varying the eii'ective length of the ro'd. .The rod 44 is secured, by a detachable coupling 45, (Figs. 1 and 2) to a second rod 46, which isslidable in a guide 47 in the standard 4. The standard 4 is of two iirts, se arable along a line 48 adjacent t e coup ing 45.

It is apparent that the rods 44 and 46 may be readily disconnected into two separate parts, as may also the standard 4, and that, then, the lower part of the standard 4 together with the rod 46 may be handled as a single unit. This facilitates shipping and makes assemblagey of parts convenient.

The rod 46 has a in-and-slot connection 50 (Fi 2) with the inner end of a dal 51 pivote on the standards 3 and 4. spring 52, (Fig. 1) normally retains the outer part of the pedal in up'per position.

The rod 44 carriesy an arm 53 having an arcuate face 54 adapted to engage a stud 55 on a cam 56 that is rigid with a s indle 57 journaled in the casting 6 and rigi with Fa segmental gear 58- that is adapted to mesh with the spur ar 13. The cam 56 has a circular face t at is adapted to engage a button 59 of a switch 60, of conventional construction, which exercises aV ,permanent force tending to move the button 59 outwardly. e circular face is interrupted by a `recess 61 which is adapted to permit' the button 59 to move outwardly to a position in which the switch is in its off positidn.

4A link 62 is pivoted' at one end to the cam 36 and at the other is provided Vwith a slot 63 receivin the pivot pin 35 at the knuckle ofthetogge. f ,y

The switch 60 controls, through conductors esta@ mqmriv. f 1 The motor1-7,fas described, is secured to toggle 38 duplicating Jthe eo peratz'on with 'roll in. Contact with shoe.

When the parts are in normal operating relation, (Fig. 3) as when articles are bein subjected to an ironing action by the ro 5 and the shoe 1, the motor 7, through the worm 66, the worm gear 67, the pinion 69 and the spur gear 13, drives sleeve 12, and through it the roll 5. A pressure is maintained between roll 5 and the sho'e 1 by the toggles on both -sides of the machine actin' through spring 33 and the lcorrespon ing spring on the op osite side of the machine. Both nut 32 and the corresponding nut on the opposite side of the machine may be adjusted on the arm 31 and the arm 38, respectively. Thus, the pressure be tween the roll 5 and the shoe 1 may be varied. With the ironing elements engaged in ironing position, the toggles are located instable-positions because the lines ofl action of the springs are slightly under the spindle 37 and the corres ending spindle on the oppositeof the mac e and are held there by the stop 40.

Release operation.

To se larate the ironing members, the operator epresses the pedal 51 and thus moves the rods 44 and 46 upwardly. This causes the cap 43 to engage the arm 42 and give -rotative movement to the spindle 37. The arm 36 is thus swung upwardly.

lili

After slight travel, the center of the pivot pin 35 passes above a straight line extending betweenthe spindle 37 and the shaft 11.'

The spring V33 is then permitted to ex and and the pivot in 35 is ur ed upward y by the action of t e sprin he movement of the arm 36 is commumcated to the shaft 11 which causes the toggle 38 to move u wardly at its knuckle, the movement of e toggle movement at the other 'end of the mac ine.

The release Q f the to gle rmits the downward movement of t e. ro 5 and the lll swinging oLthe casting 6 about the ivot n pin 27. Infthe downward movement o the roll 5, the shaft 11 is guided, at one end, in the slot 41 and, at the other end, in the `slot 26. The slots 41 and 26 determine the lowermost position of the roll 5. The full release position is shown in Fig. 2. The

stoppage of the downward movement of the roll 5 is not attended with very consider- A-able shock as the roll 5 is light in weight pivotally supported near and, the casting 6 is its center of'gravity. A

'AsshowninFig 3,whentheroll5isin l whether the motor 7 is operative or not.

After the movement of the roll away from the shoe 1 it may be desired to move the roll in either direction for the purpose of arranging articles to be laundered thereon, or removing articles that have passed downwardly between the roll 5and the shoe.

1. To release the roll 5 from Athe shaft 11, the operator rotates it manually toward the shoe 1. 'This causes `the sleeve 12, Fig. 8, to rotate in the same direction, and the annular ratchet 16 acts upon the detent 14 and liftsv it, permitting the plunger 18 to move o utwardly under the urge of spring 22 and the shoulder to seat in the recess 21. The seating of the shoulder 20 in the recess 21 operates to lock the detent 14 in retracted position and permitsfree rotation of the roll 5 in either direction.

When the roll 5 is moved laterally toward the shoe 1 in a manner presently to be described, the plunger 18 is engaged with one of the arcuate cams 24 or 25 when the roll 5 reaches the end of its lateral movement. This'engagement will occur as soon as the roll 5 reaches itsinal position, if the position of the pin 18 rotatively with respect to the shaft 11 is such that one of the cams 24 and 25 is in its path of travel. If, however, the cams24` and 25 are not interposed in the lateral path of travel of the plunger 18, slight rotation of the spur gear 13, through its driving connections, after the roll y5 reaches theend, of its lateral movement, rotates the lunger 18 into engagement with one o? the cams 24 `and 25. Either of these methods of engagement of the plunger 18 iwith one of the cams 24 and 25 moves the plunger 18 inwardly, f releasing the shou1der5-20 from the recess 21 and permitting the detent 14 to engage with the annular ratchet 16. The spur gear 13 is then operative to transmit driving force directly t0 the roll 5.

Movement of roll toward shoe.

To .move the roll 5 laterally toward the stud 55 and causes the rotation of the cam 56. By` reason of the arcuate character of the face 54A of the arm 53,`slight movement of the' stud 55 withrespect tothe arm-5 3 transversely of the machine is rmitted. At the time ofthe engagement o the arm 53with the stud 55, the switch button 59 is in its outer position, projecting into an end 'of the recess 61 of t e cam 56. Slight movement' of the cam 56 causes thedepression of the switch button 59- and energizes the motor 7.

The energization of the motor 7 actuates -the worm 66 which gives rotative movement to the worm gear 67, the pinion 69 and the spur gear 13. After a slight further ro` tation of the cam 56 beyond the point'wherc the depression of the switch button 59 is initiated, the segmental gear 58 is brought into mesh with the spur gear 13. p In case the top of the teeth "on both gears strike,

engagement will 'only be delayed a fraction of a second because the rotation of spur gear 13 which has already been started will promptly cause it to pass to a position where ree engagement between segmental gear 58 and spur gear 13 will be accomplished. The movement of the spur gear 13-is` then transmitted to the segmental gear 58. After the energization of themotor 7, and the engagement of the segmental gear 58-with the spur gear 13, the operation becomes automatic.

The motor 7 causes the rotative movementv of the segmental gear 58 in the manner de scribed to move the link 62 downwardly andA causes the arms 31 and 36 to exercise a toggle action, rotating the shaft 11 and causing the toggle 38 to operate to move the roll 5 against the shoe 1. The downward movemen of the toggle knuckles causes the spring 33 and-.the spring of the toggle 38 to exercise pressure upon the /shaft 11 which is through the centers of the pivot pin 35 andthe cam 56. Further rotation of the cam 56 causes a slight upward movement of the osition of the` toggle the stop 40 which lll link'62. This upward movement is not trans- 5 mitted to the lpivot pin 35 asthe slot 63 permits limite upward movement of the link with respect thereto. The segmental gear 58 has a slight rotative movement after the pivot pin 35 reaches its lowermost position. It then spur gear 13.

'No further. movement isutransmitted to the cam 56 while the roll 5 isin ironing position. During the rotative` movement of the cam 56, whlch is incidental to the movement of the roll 5 into ironing position, the

passes out of mesh with the face of the cam is maintained in contact with the switch button 59. When the movement of the cam 56 is arrested, the button 59 is still in contact with the face of the cam 56 but at a point adjacent to the recess 61.

The movement of the roll 5 toward the shoe 1 is transmitted by the shaft 11 to the casting 6 which is rotated about its pivot pin 27.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, if the gear wheel is disengaged from the sleeve 12 b the pawl 14 being held in raised position efore the roll is moved towards the shoe, the in 18, which is holding the pawl 14 in raise sition, will enga e. one of the cam sur aces 24 or 25 and wi the spring 22 to release the pawl 14. The spur gear 13 will then be mechanically connected to the sleeve 12 to effect rotation of 'the roll since the pawl 14 will now engage l greatest simplicity.

The casting 6 may be removed vfrom the pivot pin 27 and may also be removed from the shaft 11 on the detachment vof the member 34 which is merely pinned on the shaft, and the link 62 may be disconnected from the pivot pin 35. The casting 6, with nearly all of the operating members secured thereon, ma then be handled as an independent unit. This facilitates shipping. The combination of parts also makes assemblage convenient, as the casting and the associated parts may be treated as a unit for assembling urposes.

The invention is not limitedto construction and the embodiment illustrated and described may be extensively varied and modified. For instance, a roll may be substituted for the shoe 1. Again, a handoperated'member may be used instead of the pedal 51, ifvdesired. A substantial range of equivalents is contemplated' within the spirit of the invention an the scope of the appended claims. I i I claim as, my invention: j

1. An ironing machine Jcomprising a fixed ironing member, an ironing roll, means supporting said roll for movement toward, and

away from, the fixedA ironing member, a

support, an arm pivoted o n said support, a second arm pivoted to said first-mentioned arm, -and'secured for 'limited sliding movement with respect to said roll. a spring on said second arm for biasing said roll to the be pressed inward against' etails ofV extreme limit of its connection with said second arm, and means for actuating said arms adjacent to their oint of pivotal con mounted for movement toward, and away' from, the first mentioned ironing member, a toggle for moving said second ironing member toward said first mentioned ironing member, a memberfmovable by an operator means oprative on one movement of said member for causing said toggle to move said second ironing member toward said firstmentioned ironing member, and means operative on a subsequent similar movement of said operating member for releasing said toggle to permit said second ironing member to move away from said first-mentoned ironing member.

4. An ironing machine comprising an ironing member, a second member, a roll mounted for rotative movement on said second member, a gear for rotating said roll, a motor on said second member for driving the gear, and means operative by said motor to move said second member and to swing said roll toward said ironing member.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of an ironing member, a roll, a gear for rotating said roll, a member for supporting Said roll and said gear for rotation, toggle means for moving said roll, said gear and said supporting member, a second gear adapted to mesh with the first-mentioned gear and mounted for rotation on said supporting member, a motor on said supporting member for moving said first-mentioned gear, and means connecting said second gear to said toggle means for actuating said toggle means on the movement of said gears by reason of their meshing relation to move said gears and said supporting member and swing said roll toward said first-mentioned ironing member.

6. An ironing machine comprising an ironing member, a4 second ironing member, a member'v for supporting said second ironing member for rotative movement, a'motor secured to said supporting member, and means operated by said motor for moving said supporting member and for moving said second ironing member laterally relatively to the irstmentoned ironing member.

7. An ironing machine comprising' an ironing member, a second ironing member, a member for supporting said second ironing member, means supporting said supporting member for pivotal movement, a moto on said supporting member, and toggle means operated by said ymotor for imparting pivotal movement to said supporting member. 8. ln an ironing machine, the combination with a stationary ironing element and a movable ironing element,.one of which is a roll, of toggle means for moving one element 15 to and from the other, said toggle means EARL M. RICHARDS.

this sixth day of Octoi 

